Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Palm Sunday and Holy Week

Be ready for the Blessing of Palms and the reading of the Passion at all Masses this weekend.

Note that, at the 10:30 Mass we will have the full palm procession, thus everyone at the 10:30 Mass is invited to begin in the PAC. The other Masses will have palms, but not the full procession. We enter into Jerusalem with the Lord. As we have walked with Him this whole season, we continue to walk toward the Cross that we might embrace it with Him. 

This is the holiest of weeks, so I encourage everyone to make it different than other weeks of the year. Just as Sunday is a day of worship and should be unique, set apart from the other days, so should this week be set apart. Perhaps less work, take a vacation day off, more prayer, focus on service to the poor or others in need.  Make the time to participate in some or all of the following:

“Spy” Wednesday: Tenebrae Service at 7pm by Chesterton Academy Choir

Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7pm

                        after Mass Blessed Sacrament will be exposed until 11pm*

Good Friday: Good Friday Service at 3pm(w/ Holy Communion)**

                          Church will remain open until 8pm for prayer

Holy Saturday: Blessing of Easter Foods at 1pm

Easter Vigil:     Easter Vigil at 9pm ***

Easter Sunday: Regular Sunday schedule at 8 and 10:30am

* In recent years the laudable custom of visiting multiple area churches after holy Thursday Mass has grown. I often see many youth groups and families visiting us from area parishes.  This is a wonderful devotion to help enter into the Holy Triduum and show our communion with the wider church.

** The cross used for veneration during the Good Friday Service is the same cross that has been in our narthex throughout Lent. The same cross people have been nailing with petitions, sins, and sufferings. This laudable custom has been at St. Paul’s since before I was pastor and is a powerful help to connecting ourselves with the sufferings of Christ.

*** Another note. This detail is not as noticeable but all the pieces of paper inscribed with people’s petitions from the Good Friday Cross are collected and burned in the blessed Easter Fire. As Christ’s light dispels darkness, it also purges us of sin and gives us new life.

Rejoice in God’s Mercy!

In addition to our regular times, please note the extra opportunities:

“Last chance” Confessions: To help those procrastinators (like me), I will offer some final times on April 14, Monday of Holy Week at 7-8am, noon-1pm, and 5:30-7pm.

Divine Mercy Novena

Remember also the Divine Mercy Novena beings on Good Friday.   While we do not have scheduled a public recitation of this devotion, there will be a video of it on our Facebook page, and I encourage everyone to devoutly pray it on your own.  We will however honor the devotion on Divine Mercy Sunday (4/27) at all the Masses.  Here is a website that can help as well. https://www.thedivinemercy.org/

Have a blessed Holy Week!

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Pfr